Tuesday, 28 October 2014

An Urban Wander along the Limehouse Cut, London

We had a day out in London last Saturday to go and see British Sea Power at the Barbican in the evening, so decided to make a day of it and went up around lunch time to walk along the Limehouse Cut, which runs from Limehouse to Three Mills. The walk seemed to tick all the boxes for a good urban wander - ghost signs, industrial architecture, gas holders, abandonment and railways.

First up we have a ghost sign, albeit lovingly restored by the look of it, and now adorning what would seem to be flats in Limehouse.

Ghost sign, Limehouse, London E14

A few pictures now of the Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, looking rather marvelous against the clear, autumn sky. As with the signage in the previous picture, I imagine this has been restored at some stage as the buildings were renovated and converted.

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

I can only assume this chimney was at one stage considerably taller and said SPRATT'S as opposed to just T'S.

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

A considerably less legible sign now, as we leave the Limehouse Cut and join the River Lea.

BRITISH WATERWAYS

?? ONLY

BEYOND THIS POINT

Ghost sign, Limehouse Cut, London

As the Limehouse Cut joins the River Lea, we come across the Bow Locks with the former Bow gas works in the background.

Bow locks, London

Bow locks, London

Bow locks, London

Bow locks, London

Heading north from Bow Locks we came across a railway bridge carrying the District and Metropolitan lines from London towards Barking and Dagenham, and also the main line out from Fenchurch Street into Essex.

Railway bridge over the River Lea, Bromley-by-Bow, London

Railway bridge over the River Lea, Bromley-by-Bow, London

Former gas works, Bow, London

Former gas works, Bow, London

Whilst I fully expected to see gas works and railway lines, what I came across next was a complete surprise ... Three Mills Island, home to a large tidal mill and some television studios.

Three Mills Island, London

Three Mills Island, London

Three Mills Island, London

Couldn't resist taking this picture of some disused railway tracks. Not sure where the went to or from though, but presumably down to the river at some stage?

Three Mills Island, London

So as a day of excellent urban wandering came to an end, we made our way back into the City, took our seats in the Barbican, only to be cursed by a power failure which meant that the concert had to be postponed. Oh well, at least the day had not been wasted, and we returned to the country retreat disappointed but quite glad of an early night.

About Me

Having grown up in one of the London suburbs, I'm interested in John Betjeman, J.G.Ballard, London suburbs, Avengerland (Borehamwood area where the classic 1960's and 1970's TV shows were filmed). More recently I have become interested in Psychogeography and Urban, Suburban and Coastal Wandering, which is where most of the subject matter in this blog now comes from.

I'm also an avid music listener and collector since the late 1970's. I like all sorts of genres ... punk, post-punk, new wave, industrial, ambient, krautrock, alternative, indie, goth ... naturally I have quite a few items I no longer need in physical format, so here's a link to my records and CDs for sale

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